Mental health campaign: Love Island ’s Kem Cetinay opens up about his anxiety
Kem Cetinay, 22, opens up to heat about his issues with mental ill health to show his support for our campaign
When did you first experience issues with mental ill health?
When I was about 13. My mum had an operation and was told she had 24 hours to live. It triggered such anxiety for me that it got to a point where I didn’t leave the house. Thank God, my mum recovered, but it changed my life. I didn’t know what I was suffering from. I would hide away, and it got worse and worse. By the time I was 15, I had almost dropped out of school. I didn’t sit many of my GCSES, I saw a therapist every day, stayed at home for 18 months and barely went out. It felt like I was locked in a prison. I saw some amazing therapists. I met one and something clicked with her, and she opened up barriers for me. Later, I started barbering. It was a slow progression and took me two to three years, and then the
opportunity came up. Love Island
How do you deal with being in the public eye?
My mum and dad thought there was no way I could handle it. For me, it was a challenge. I wanted to prove it to myself. Why should I hide and let anxiety win? I still suffer now at times, but I’m building myself every day as a person, and will get stronger.
You and Chris had a special bromance on Love Island – do you think there is less stigma now about guys talking about their feelings?
When we met, we both realised we suffered from the same anxiety, and that’s what brought us so close. Even now, we know when one of us is feeling anxious and how to calm the other down. I’m not saying me and Chris broke the mould but, recently, people are seeing so many more men opening up.
What does anxiety feel like?
It feels like the whole world is coming down around you at once. It happens so quickly. For me, I can feel myself get a bit aggressive and want to get out of the situation quickly, and I don’t care who I’m offending.
‘Anxiety feels like the whole world is coming down around you’